Besides wisdom tooth removal, patients are asked to donate a small sample of jaw bone (from the lining of the inner wall of the tooth socket) and gum tissue (from the area of the surgical site). The samples are collected at the same time as the tooth extraction. The bone sample is about the size of a pencil point (1.5 millimeters wide and 3 millimeters long) and the gum tissue sample is 1 millimeter. Removal of these samples should not cause any additional discomfort or increase the time required for the surgery or for healing.